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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24316003">When Your Arms Aren't Enough</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/flannelfeelings/pseuds/flannelfeelings'>flannelfeelings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Case involving a missing kid, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago - Freeform, Loving Marriage, Married Couple, Panic Attacks, Pregnancy, Pregnant Amy Santiago, Protective Jake Peralta, Takes place in S7, but happy ending, season 7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:15:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,520</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24316003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/flannelfeelings/pseuds/flannelfeelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Amy is in her third trimester, and working a very difficult case. After an exhausting day with no new leads, she breaks down in front of her husband, and it's up to him to pull her out of the darkness.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>167</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>When Your Arms Aren't Enough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>pls read tags for warnings but just in case: this fic has mentions of a child who's kidnapped, but this does have a happy ending!!</p><p>it gets a little intense so please read with caution</p><p> </p><p>please enjoy and lmk your thoughts!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amy had always been sensitive.</p><p>It didn’t make her any less of a badass that sometimes the posters at the bank made her think of all the sweet grandpas in the world. It didn’t make her feel shrill or girly that she cried at the romantic parts in chick flicks. She never felt insecure about her empathy and compassion. It was what made her a good cop, and moreover, a good person.</p><p>Usually, she was able to suspend her more emotional reactions when it came to her work. While she generally did understand and sympathize with some of the awful things she saw as a detective, most of the time it was possible to shove down the emotions and use them to fuel her motivation to solve the case. Pregnancy seemed to make that aspect a lot more difficult.</p><p>Every single emotion was heightened; happiness and anger and sadness all alike...she felt everything so <em>strongly</em>. Even as she entered her 7th month, she was feeling the effects of her rampant hormones. Last week Jake had brought home her favorite binder tabs for their weekly budget and she’d burst into tears. He was instantly apologetic, assuming from her reaction that he’d bought the wrong ones. She was quick to reassure him that they were perfect, and so was he, she was just a little bit insane right now.</p><p>This little exhausting side effect of growing their baby was extremely evident tonight. She’d gotten off work nearly thirty minutes ago, and had simply wandered into the dark apartment, feeling like a zombie. The captain had assigned her a child abduction case to assist Rosa on. Since her uniformed officers were all handling their assignments well and she was ahead on her paperwork, the sergeant had been eager to help out. Amy now wished she hadn’t been.</p><p>There she sat, in the dark kitchen, still clad in her uniform, staring blankly ahead of her as if in a trance. The only illumination was the light above the stove, which highlighted the file of paperwork she’d brought home with her to work on after ending her shift. She knew she should hide it before Jake got home; he didn’t want her working herself too hard this late in her pregnancy. But she couldn’t just <em>stop.</em></p><p>A little girl (Natalie Toller, was her name) had been taken off a very busy corner in Brooklyn. She’d been kidnapped, right from under her parent’s nose. They looked away for just a minute...and then instantly, gone. The grainy security footage from the bodega had been sickening. Amy couldn’t get the little girl’s face out of her mind.</p><p>One hand slowly ran across her swollen belly, and a small kick from their growing baby wasn’t even enough to bring a smile to her face. She felt numb, looking over the evidence and possible leads. The words were beginning to swim off the pages as her twelve hour shift caught up with her.</p><p>Where was the girl? Where was Natalie right now? While Amy sat safely in her quiet home, what was happening to that girl?</p><p>The tears broke through before she even recognized what was happening. One moment, she sat silently, breathing slowly. Then, anguished sobs were wrenched from her chest as she knelt over the table, head in her hands. Her shoulders trembled with each sob that wracked her body, just the shedding of tears draining the already wilting energy from her tired body.</p><p>What the hell was she supposed to do? Right now there was nothing, no new leads, no more witnesses to interview. She knew officers and other detectives were at the precinct right now working the case, and she had the materials here in front of her, but she couldn’t bring herself to focus on the information on the table. Every time she read Natalie’s name, another bout of agony ran through her and more tears followed.</p><p>What kind of cop was she? What kind of sergeant? She felt so helpless.</p><p>“Ames!”</p><p>Amy hadn’t even heard him come in, but the next moment hands were on her arms, and Jake was asking frantically, “Babe! Hey, what’s going on?”</p><p>Amy quickly wiped at her tear-slickened face, blinking rapidly to try and expel the last of her pathetic sobs. She’d already put her poor husband through the ringer with her hormones and mood-swings, and he still came in so concerned and ready to comfort her. He’d just gotten off work too, dealing with the same awfulness she did. He didn’t need to be burdened with an unsolvable problem too. She could put these files away and work on them when he went to sleep.</p><p>“I really don’t want to talk about it.” She managed weakly, shuffling all the pages into a neat pile before he could get a good look at them, and stuffing them into a manila envelope, “I’m fine.”</p><p>Jake’s brows pulled together in concern. He definitely wasn’t buying it, “Amy-”</p><p>“Babe, I promise.” Amy placed a gentle palm on his chest and forced a smile on to her face, “You know how I am lately...crying at everything.” she sniffled and blinked, confident the last of her tears had been swept away, “I just read a sweet news article about a promposal in Queens.”</p><p>Jake glanced around them, then back at her face, “Amy, you’re sitting alone in the dark, bawling your eyes out. I don’t think-”</p><p>“Please drop it.” She insisted, eyes pleading, “<em>Please,</em> Jake.”</p><p>He studied her for a moment, mouth pursed up in deliberation and worry. Something in her tone must’ve conveyed that it really wasn’t the time, because he sighed gently and said, “Okay, Ames. Okay. Just...promise me if something was really wrong, you’d tell me?”</p><p>“Of course.” She assured him, nodding. It wasn’t a lie; something wasn’t <em>wrong</em>. She just...she just <em>hurt</em>, thinking about this little girl. It wasn’t the first difficult case she’d worked, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.</p><p>“You look exhausted honey.” Jake ran his hand down her cheek, tender fingers stroking the last bit of moisture from her skin.</p><p>“I’m gonna shower, I think.” She said, just remembering she was still in her filthy uniform.</p><p>“Mind some company?” Jake asked with a sly smile.</p><p>Amy chuckled breathlessly. As miserable as she was, she couldn’t deny that her husband’s presence would likely chase away the badness for a little while.</p><p>“I would love some company.” she told him.</p><p>He reached over to take her arm and help lift her from the chair. As her middle grew, her ability to stand on her own shrank. Lately it seemed like she was always leaning on someone for support. Gary, or Rosa, Boyle or Terry. Even Hitchcock one time, which had been a low point after being unable to find anyone else to help her up.</p><p>They walked into the bathroom and Jake turned the shower on, moving into the adjoining bedroom to grab some pajamas.</p><p>As he walked, Amy watched him unbutton his flannel and slide it down his back, the tense muscles surrounding his shoulder blades moved smoothly with his action. She focused on her husband’s familiar body; the two little freckles on his lower back, just above his butt. The lean, but strong muscles of his biceps, and toned definition that curved down his thighs and calves. The pinch of his boxers on his hips, before he swiftly removed those too. A small hint of arousal curled up in her lower stomach as she watched her naked husband return to the bathroom, grinning at her.</p><p>“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” he told her with a smirk.</p><p>Amy blinked to dispel her daze, and chuckled lightly, “I wish I had my camera.”</p><p>He reached over and began unbuttoning her crisp shirt, gently pushing it down her arms until she was in just her slacks and tucked in undershirt. She felt his fingers on her belt, and closed her eyes blissfully, letting him undress her fully.</p><p>“Wow.” Jake breathed once her undershirt had been swept over her head and landed on the cool tile.</p><p>“What?” Amy opened her eyes again, concerned. She wasn’t exactly as petite and toned as she’d once been; with her balloon of a belly between them.</p><p>Jake’s hands came to rest gently on either side of her stomach, his big mahogany eyes meeting hers. She was overwhelmed with the awe and love in his crinkled up gaze.</p><p>“You are so beautiful.” He murmured, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her lips.</p><p>Amy moaned slightly against his mouth, and she felt him smile into the kiss.</p><p>After they pulled away, he nodded to the shower, “Ladies first.”</p><p>It was a miracle they both still fit in the shower, with her growing middle so prominent, but luckily their shower was pretty big. Jake helped her in over the edge of the tub and stepped in after her, his hands never leaving her skin the entire time. The hot water was a soothing balm over her aching body, and she leaned into it, relishing in the comfort of the hot steam and her husband’s touch.</p><p>As she scrubbed shampoo out of her hair, she felt Jake’s long, calloused fingers on her shoulders, working out the kinks that had formed there over the last twelve hours. She moaned, pressing her palms flat against the wall of the shower, arching her back a bit as pleasure danced down her back.</p><p>“You're so tense, baby.” Jake murmured as he continued to massage the overworked flesh of her back.</p><p>“Feels <em>so</em> good Jake…” her voice was a barely contained groan, “so nice…”</p><p>One hand still kneading her back with his knuckles in the way she liked, Jake’s other hand wrapped around her body to rub her belly a few times gently, before slowly stroking down her skin until he reached her center.</p><p>A high-pitched yelp of pleasure exited her lips as he began to rub circles on her clit. She could feel his hard dick pressing against her from behind as he murmured in her ear, “This okay, sweetheart?” His voice was low, deep and raspy with arousal.</p><p>“<em>So</em> good…” she felt the pleasure coursing through her body already at his expert, rhythmic movements. One of his fingers gently slid inside while his thumb still smoothed small motions over her clit.</p><p>“I love you, Ames.” Jake pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, leaning his face against her neck, the intense movement of his hard working hand unyielding.</p><p>“I- I love you Jake.” she breathed hard, consumed by the pleasure of his touch.</p><p>It felt so good. So safe and so amazing and wonderful and everything sweet and <em>perfect</em> in the world. For a moment, she let herself be completely absorbed in it; lost in the ecstasy of Jake’s fingers against her body and the soothing steam of the hot shower.</p><p>But then, she remembered the mound of case files on their kitchen table, and the agonizing contents of them, and suddenly, all she could think of was the most-likely dead child out there on the streets, alone.</p><p>“Jake, stop!” she cried out, and in an instant his hands were off of her, the pleasure immediately suspended and replaced with a deep, unfulfilled longing.</p><p>“Whoa! Ames, hey are you okay?” He took her by the arms and gently turned her around so she was facing him, concern written all over his face as he blinked against the stream of water hitting his skin, “I’m so sorry, did I hurt you? Does it hurt? What’s wrong?”</p><p>“I-I…” Amy struggled to find her voice, unsure of how exactly to explain what was going on in her hormone-riddled brain. She knew there were hot tears soaking her face, but they mingled with the shower stream, so she hoped he didn’t notice. Though, it was pretty evident in the trembling whisper she’d adopted.</p><p>“Babe are you crying?” Jake’s hands were on her cheeks. It was clear he was trying to remain collected, despite the fear and guilt in his eyes, “Jesus Amy, did I <em>hurt</em> you?”</p><p>“No!” She assured him, shame and humiliation coursing through her body, “I-I-” a sob overtook her ability to speak, as she finally broke. Her shoulders slouched over as she allowed herself to succumb to the anguished tears all over again, unable to fight against the blooming pain in her chest.</p><p>“Amy, Amy, <em>Amy</em>?”</p><p>She was vaguely aware of her husband’s panicked voice, barely audible over her weeping, but she couldn’t focus on anything except for the awful pit in her stomach. Natalie was dead, it had been over twelve hours since she was taken. She was dead. Her parents were childless. A child was dead because she didn’t find her.</p><p>What if that happened to<em> their</em> child? What if she or Jake looked away for a second, and their son was snatched off a street corner, never to be seen again? Dismembered, decapitated, <em>deceased-</em></p><p>“Amy, please, babe you’ve got to take a deep breath, okay? Hey, Ames. Do it with me, okay?”</p><p>Through her blurred vision and the swish of her muddied ears, she noticed Jake was slowly and loudly inhaling and exhaling, gripping her arms desperately as he tried to get her to follow his example. She hadn’t even realized that her frantic cries had devolved into hyperventilating.</p><p>Her wobbly knees gave out, and she pitched forward. Jake caught her in his arms, their wet, naked bodies coming together as he steadied her and lowered her to the floor of the tub. It smelled like Clorox due to her obsessive cleaning, and the sharp scent filled her nostrils. Jake sat beside her, pulling her against his chest and encouraging her to breathe slowly and steadily.</p><p>After a few minutes of trying to mimic his calming breaths, she finally felt like she’d floated back down to earth. Jake’s hands were in her wet, tangled hair, stroking down from her scalp to her back as he’d given up on talking completely and just offered her soothing breaths. The rhythm of his chest stayed steady, and felt strong and familiar under her weight.</p><p>“I’m okay.” she croaked out weakly, throat burning from her inability to breathe. The hot water still beat down on their bodies as they sat on the shower floor.</p><p>“You’re obviously not okay, Amy.” Jake replied in a low voice.</p><p>“You didn’t hurt me.” she tried again, “I promise.”</p><p>“Let’s get you off the floor.” was all he replied.</p><p>He got to his feet and leaned over to shut the water off, grabbing her towel from the curtain rod. He held his arms out and helped her to her shaky legs, wrapping the towel around her body. Jake pushed the curtain aside and helped her out before grabbing his own towel and tying it around his waist. Amy stumbled forward and found herself sitting on the lid of the toilet, head in her hands as her elbows made red indents on her knees.</p><p>Jake stood before her, running a hand through his wet curls with tensed fingers. He watched his wife for a moment, then, slowly spoke, “Amy...talk to me, please.”</p><p>The fear and worry hidden behind his forced calm was unbearable. Amy hated that she was at fault for making him so upset. This was the last thing he needed after a long day of work. Why couldn’t she just <em>hold it together? </em></p><p>“I’m sorry.” she breathed shakily, “I know you had a long day, and this is the last-”</p><p>“No.” Jake shook his head and squatted down in front of her, hands resting on her knees as he looked up at her swollen red eyes and puffy lips, “Amy Santiago. My wife, the mother of my child, the absolute<em> love</em> of my life, how the hell could you ever think <em>anything</em> in my life is more important than you? I couldn’t give a shit if I’d had the longest shift anyone's ever worked, my day starts over the second I see your beautiful face. Please talk to me, Ames. For real. I just want to help.”</p><p>Amy sighed heavily, shoulders relaxing as her husband’s kind, genuine words washed over her. She knew he was being honest, if there was one thing Jake Peralta had always managed consistently, it was letting his wife know how important she was.</p><p>“I’m working on a case with Rosa.” Amy explained slowly, trying to keep her breath steady, “A child abduction.”</p><p>She could see his expression soften with sympathy and understanding. These kinds of things were never easy to deal with, and she was relieved that being in the same field, Jake probably understood that better than anyone.</p><p>“It’s not looking good?” he asked knowingly.</p><p>“We have no leads.” she murmured, “She’s been missing for over twelve hours now.” Amy squeezed her eyes shut tight against the flooding memories of the footage of Natalie being grabbed, “She’s probably dead. Because I couldn’t find who took her.”</p><p>“Amy-” Jake started, but Amy cut him off.</p><p>“That’s what it boils down to, right?” she demanded, “They look to us to save them. It’s <em>our</em> job. It’s the oath we took, the promise we made, and...and…” she inhaled sharply, “there’s a little girl out there who’s terrified and in danger and missing her parents and I’m sitting here <em>safe,</em> unharmed. I just,” she grimaced, “I wish it were me. I wish it were me instead. Instead of her. She’s just a <em>little girl</em>, Jake.”</p><p>“Please don’t say that.” Jake’s voice was gentle, but she could tell he hated to hear her speak this way, “Please don’t ever say you wish it was <em>you</em> in harms way, Amy. Cause my brain really doesn’t wanna hear that right now. Especially after that scare you gave me in the shower.”</p><p>Amy sucked on her lip apologetically, frowning, “I’m sorry-”</p><p>“Don’t be sorry.” Jake shook his head, eyes meeting hers seriously, “You have <em>nothing</em> to be sorry for. To me, to that little girl, to anyone. The promise we made, our oath, was to do everything in our power to protect and serve. I know if it were up to you, you’d still be in the precinct right now working yourself sick to find her.”</p><p>“Rosa made me leave.” Amy admitted somewhat dejectedly.</p><p>Jake sighed, “Thank god for Rosa.”</p><p>Amy scowled, “No, Jake. If I was there I could be-”</p><p>“Doing the same thing you’re doing here, obsessing over this case and hating yourself because you can’t solve it. The same thing every other officer in that precinct is doing right now. You’re a human being, Amy, not some case-solving machine. God help me, you’re the best fucking cop I’ve ever met, but you can’t torture yourself like this.”</p><p>“Jake.” Amy swallowed hard, “What if she’s dead? What if we really are too late and we have to tell her parents that she’s dead?”</p><p>Jake chewed on his lower lip, looking at the floor for a moment. Amy knew there were a million things running through his head that he wished he could say, something to fix this fucked up and awful world that they waded into everyday. Something to ease her fears. Something that would comfort her.</p><p>But there wasn’t.</p><p>Jake didn’t know if Natalie was alive. Jake didn’t know if they’d ever find her kidnapper. Jake didn’t know any more than Amy did. The reality was, a little girl was missing, and if they didn’t find her soon, they probably never would.</p><p>“Then we’ll deal with it.” Jake answered carefully, looking back up at her face earnestly, “Amy, this sucks, okay? And it’s devastating for that girl, and her family. And I’m sorry that we can’t just snap our fingers and save her, trust me, I wish we could. But beating yourself up is not going to make anything better, okay? I’m here for you and I’m gonna be by your side every moment for the rest of our lives, I promise you. You won’t face this alone. These cases...they’re hard, and they’re painful for everyone, but you can’t blame yourself. The only one who did anything wrong here is the sick fuck who took her.”</p><p>Jake took her hands in his, squeezing them so tight she thought her knuckles would crack, “You are seven months pregnant, and exhausted, and tearing yourself up over this little girl because you are a compassionate, wonderful woman. Because you’re an amazing sargeant. And I know that nothing I say or do will make this any easier. But Amy, please, treat yourself a little better. If you need to cry, then do it. I understand Ames, because it’s sad and awful. But don’t bottle this up and blame yourself. There is a whole team of officers working tirelessly to find her, Ames. There’s nothing more you can do right now.”</p><p>“I hate that.” Amy admitted quietly, “I feel this unbearable anxiety just sitting here while I know she’s out there.”</p><p>“I understand.” Jake assured her, “And that makes sense, Ames. I don’t blame you at all. But…” he released one of her hands and gently placed his palm over her belly, still clad in a towel, “Our baby needs his mom to focus on herself for just a little while, okay? Just until your next shift starts. You have to give yourself a little break.”</p><p>Amy sighed. She knew he was right, and that was the worst part. Accepting that there was nothing else she could do, and submitting to the reality that she was going to have to tough this night out. Jake wasn’t wrong. She was pregnant, tired, and hungry. Getting upset and losing her head wasn’t going to do anything.</p><p>“I’m sorry that I’m such a crazy person right now.” She told him quietly, “I know I’m a handful.”</p><p>Jake frowned deeply, “Stop it. You’re an overworked, exhausted, pregnant police sergeant and your maternal instincts are in overdrive. I’m sorry you have to deal with this right now.” He reached up and caressed her cheek gently, “Let your husband take care of you two for tonight, okay?”</p><p>“Okay.” she agreed.</p><p>“Okay.” he nodded, “Let me grab you some pajamas, I’ll make us some dinner and we can watch that documentary on book binding.”</p><p>Amy couldn’t help the smile that pulled up at her lips, “The one you said looked like a <em>never ending train to snoozeville</em>?”</p><p>Jake shrugged, “Do you want to watch it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“Then we’re watching it.” He rose from the floor and padded into the bedroom to collect her pajamas.</p><p>After ten minutes, they were both dried off and clad in soft, cotton clothing. Amy settled in on the couch, purposefully diverting her gaze away from the folder on the kitchen table. Jake puttered around in the kitchen putting together what smelled like quesadillas for dinner as Amy scrolled through Netflix to find the documentary.</p><p>As Jake returned with two plates full of chicken quesadillas and strawberries (her latest, most intense craving) Amy’s cell phone rang. Curious as to who could be calling at the late hour, she grabbed it off the coffee table to inspect.</p><p>
  <strong>INCOMING CALL: ROSA DIAZ </strong>
</p><p>Oh no.</p><p>Her shoulders stiffened. This couldn’t be good.</p><p>She could feel Jake’s intense eyes on her, but she couldn’t look away from the phone.</p><p>Amy’s gaze remained unfocused as she put the phone to her ear, voice hollow with a brief, “Hi Rosa.”</p><p>“Hey Sarge. I didn’t wake you up did I?” Rosa’s monotone voice was unreadable, as usual.</p><p>“No.” Amy assured her, “Is there...news?”</p><p>Fear spiked in her veins. She was about to hear it.</p><p>“We found Natalie.”</p><p>Amy’s eyes squeezed shut in anticipation. She felt Jake’s hand grip her thigh.</p><p>“Turns out her old English teacher had a vendetta against the parents. He took her for ransom, and wanted money from the dad. We found his house and busted in, she was tied up in the living room, watching cartoons. Scared as hell, but unharmed. Teach tried to flee but your uniforms caught him in the backyard. He’s being processed, she’s here in the precinct with her parents.”</p><p>Relief burst through Amy’s chest and she let out a wheezing breath of solace, “She’s...she’s okay?”</p><p>“She’s fine. Case is closed. I figured you’d want to know.”</p><p>“Thank you Rosa.” Amy breathed, still in shock at this revelation.</p><p>“No problem. Get some rest, alright?”</p><p>“You too.” Amy told her.</p><p>Rosa laughed, “I’m gonna go get drunk Santiago. I’ll see you tomorrow.” and the line disconnected.</p><p>Amy set the phone down and turned to Jake, who was looking at her expectantly.</p><p>She sighed again, nodding once as if fully absorbing what Rosa had said, “She’s okay. They found her.”</p><p>Jake’s grasp on her leg tightened marginally, though there was relief visible in the way his shoulders relaxed, “That’s great Ames!”</p><p>“Yeah.” Amy was still nodding, “Yeah...that’s good. Really good. She’s really okay.”</p><p>“Are <em>you</em> okay?” Jake asked softly, watching her as if she was an explosive on a short timer.</p><p>“I’m okay.” Amy promised him, “I’m just...fucking overwhelmed.”</p><p>“Turn it off for a while.” He handed her a plate, “Get some food in your stomach, learn about book binding, and let me take care of you.”</p><p>“That sounds good.” Amy took the plate eagerly, the hot food filling her empty insides. She sighed gratefully as Jake hit play on the documentary and curled up close to her with his own dinner.</p><p>She leaned against Jake’s shoulder, sighing contentedly as she felt the baby squirm around, kicking her middle pretty mercilessly. She didn’t complain; it was a nice reassurance of the vibrant life growing inside her. The life Jake and she had made together.</p><p>Amy glanced over at her husband, who was focused intently on the movie, though she knew he couldn’t care less about the topic. He knew she’d want to talk about it afterward, and if they were gonna have a real conversation, he’d need to pay attention.</p><p>“I love you so much, Jake.” she said quietly.</p><p>“I love you more, Ames.” Jake kissed her cheek quickly before looking back at the movie, “I wonder if we could bind some books for the baby. Like, a <em>Die Hard</em> kids book.”</p><p>Amy chuckled, eyes roaming over Jake’s face. There were tired bags under his brown eyes, his shoulders were slumped against the back of the couch, and he chewed his food slowly, something he usually only did when he was eating out of necessity rather than eagerness for something tasty. He was drained.</p><p>She was so fucking lucky to have him as her husband. Their baby was so lucky to have him as a dad. She couldn’t believe she got to spend the rest of her life with this man.</p><p>Sometimes their job was terrible and scary and really painful. The only solace they could take was in each other; their love for one another. Amy was incredibly grateful that she’d ended up with someone like Jake.</p><p>His love couldn’t fix everything, but it damn sure came close.</p>
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